To raise funds for the quake-affected in Kutch region of Gujarat, FashionDesign Council of India (FDCI) recently organised a 3-day sale incollaboration with Hyatt Regency, New Delhi. Says Mr Sumeet Nair, executive director of FDCI: "Every designer feltstrongly about raising funds to help rehabilitate those who have beendevastated by the earthquake. We all offered 50-per cent discount on ourcollections."
"People consider us to be those having fun and not serious about country andpeople. We, like others, are also patriotic about our country," adds MrBobby Grover, a participating designer.The event generated a good response, generating Rs 9 lakh, way beyond theexpected goal of Rs 3 lakh, by selling 237 outfits. Says designer RohitGandhi: ``I get a feeling of satisfaction that we are doing somethingworthwhile for a good cause. Already 10-15 of my outfits are sold out and Iam sending in some more."
Another designer Gitanjali Kashyap adds: "We hadn't expected such anoverwhelming response but it's a great deal and people have being buying inplenty. We have sold out all outfits and now we are calling up designers tosend in more."
One of the buyers was Ms Garima Singhania. She says: "The collection issmart and where will we get clothes like this at half their price? And sincethey are doing it for a noble cause so why not be a party to it." Theproceed of the sale will go to the Kutch Navnirman Abhiyan, which is acollective group of 14 grassroot NGOs working in Kutch district. It was setup in response to the devastating cyclone that hit the same region in June1998.
The funds are being given to the NGO and not to the government agencies dueto obvious reasons? "We are giving the money to the most reliable people asthey are working at the grassroots level. Moreover, we have heard of theircommendable work earlier also. Besides this, they are keeping us abreastwith all the latest information and also the areas in which the money willbe utilised," says Mr Nair.
The other designers who participated in the sale included Ashish Soni,Anjana Bhargava, Ashima-Leena Singh, Aki Narula, Anjana Bhargava, Astha,Gitanjali Kashyap, JJ Valaya, Krishna Mehta, Kotwara, Malini Ramani,Monapali, Manju and Bobby Grover, Neelam saxena, Puja Nayyar, RaghavendraRathore, Rejesh Pratap Singh, Ranna, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Beri, Rohit Bal, RohitGandhi/Rahul Khanna, Tarun Tahilani, Vijay Arora among others.
Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
